With all the quality hardware that HTC is producing, I just hope their finances improve and they can bounce back.

I just don't understand why they aren't doing better. The One series was a solid line up and I was really expecting them to start generating good margins on them, but apparently the only two companies which are able to profit from this massive smartphone explosion are Apple and Samsung. Surely there is enough room in this market for more people to turn decent (if not Apple-like) profits.

My first real smartphone was an HTC (Symbian doesn't count) so I'll always have a soft spot for them. I hope they can bounce back. Reply

My first real smartphone was an HTC as well. Of course back then, HTC wasn't a well-known brand name, so the phone was designed by HTC, manufactured (or something) by UTStarcom, and finally branded the Verizon XV6700.

I would have liked to stick with HTC, but the problem for me has always been timing. They never have what I want when I want it. For instance, if you remember back when the Motorola Droid was first released, HTC also released the inferior Droid Eris. I went with the Motorola Droid. I certainly wasn't ready to switch from the Droid when the HTC Incredible was released. And when Thunderbolt was released, I was holding off for the first LTE phone with a dual-core processor. (I ended up skipping the Bionic because by then, if I remember right, there were already rumors of the Galaxy Nexus (my current phone)).

I will say though, that the Droid DNA looks interesting. Tempting even. But... I just don't think I'm ready to move away from my Galaxy Nexus.Reply

Both my smartphones have been HTCs because their timing has been spot on for me.HTC Hero initially, then Sensation (current). I was going to get the SII but it was out of stock so I went for the Sensation which was also top of the list.

Not ready to upgrade yet (4.2 ROMs expected within a week), but even if I was ready, I'm not sure I'd be willing to stick with HTC due to their slow updates and source releases.This looks amazing, but I read there's no removable battery or SD slot, which I still want personally (or what google did with the nexus 4 and make the battery replaceable, but only when it's failing rather than during the day.

Only the SIII i9305 grabs my attention at the moment, but with A15 not looking to eat batteries alive, now seems to be suspect time to upgrade.Reply

Krait cores are considered even with A15 cores, or really close to it, so I wouldn't consider an SIII a bad buy now unless you're on Verizon, where the Razr HD and its bigger battery seem a bit more appealing (unless you're the battery-swapping type, though I would never feel comfortable regularly opening the SIII's back).Reply

There are three things that you need to move phones. Good hardware, good software and great marketing. With the One X, we know that HTC can do the first two, so the last one must be the trouble, yes? The question is, does anyone that doesn't read tech blogs regularly know that HTC has an entire series of One phones? And does the maintenance of carrier specific lines dilute the mindshare effect of having a distinct core line-up?

We certainly hope their sales pick-up. Competition is good, particularly when it yields hardware this sexy. Reply

They really should've pushed Sprint to call the EVO 4G LTE the EVO One instead, or One EVO... Droid One for this too! Seems almost moronic but the fact that Samsung has been pounding the Galaxy S name across 3-4 carriers for nearly three years now works wonders. Even their last Nexus had the BEFORE the Nexus, that's no accident.Reply

"There are three things that you need to move phones. Good hardware, good software and great marketing."

I don't know that this is a useful typology.An alternative viewpoint would be that phones are all about making the best TRADEOFFS possible at a particular time. Going too far down one particular path means higher prices, or reduced profit, or lower battery life.In this particular case, at least the screen and the quad-core suggest a foolish set of tradeoffs. We'll see when the full review is done, but if the cost of a 1080 screen is lower battery life --- bad tradeoff. If quad-core has pretty much zero effect on the apps most people use --- bad tradeoff.

It's fine to claim that you personally love the screen, or use high-end games or whatever. That IS NOT THE POINT. The point is --- you sell to the mass market by making the right tradeoffs for the mass market.Reply

Tech blog readers know that 1080p screens have a negative impact on battery life (any many of us don't see the advantage either), but most people will think it's amazing that their TV which HAD to be 1080 to be able to watch Blu-Ray and all the other mis-understandings, is now available on a phone and it must be amazing. Just like 13MP camera is obviously better than an 8Mp, or a P4 3.8Ghz is faster than an i5 2.6Ghz.....Reply

Apple held their last great phones at the border for a month. When you can't sell your product in America for that long, by the time the customs let it go (infringing part had already been removed, guessing apple paid someone to keep them anyway) it was old news and everyone had caught up. They would have had the market to themselves for a month at least netting very good sales.

Result:You get a bad quarter, and Apple has a chance to sell their late phone now. See how that works? :(

Now they're hurting, when they should have sold 10 million units in a month. The OneX and EVO LTE got held up.Reply

Agreed. Two contributing factors I can think of:1) Advertising, Samsung has them beat here.2) Verizon. One series did not come to Verizon, at all. They need to go the Samsung route and present a unified set of devices across all carriers.Reply

It's a mixture of a few factors that's causing so much trouble for HTC.That customs embargo must have hurt a lot.US carriers seem to prefer pushing Samsung, Apple and even Nokia Lumias than the HTC Ones.And of course, their marketing is no match for Sammy's huge effort on the S3.The 3 Ones were a great strategy, that didn't get the publicity needed for success.

One thing I didn't get with the Droid DNA is that it's 9.7 mm thick.It's Japan counterpart, HTC J Butterfly is just 9.1 mm thick, AND it has a microSD slot.The microSD thing is also confusing... why have a slot on J Butterfly and then go remove it on the DNA?Reply

I read a comment on Phandroid relating to this a while back.The carriers don't want Sd slots in phones so people have to use the cloud for everything, causing higher data use, which they can charge for.

Makes sense when you think like a US carrier.

Thinking like... me, it's stupid. They charge high prices and cap unlimited plans because the traffic makes it unfair etc etc.... but then force people to increase data usage!

This looks nice but I have to voice a letdown after all the buildup....no SD card and low internal capacity, very small battery for the soc and display, built in SIM.....it is like they do not want people to buy this phoneReply

We'll see how the battery capacity issue plays out, but I'm curious about the general feeling people have that SD cards are a necessity. I have a 16GB GS3 as my daily driver, and a 32GB micro SD card inside it, and I honestly can't think what's on that SD card. Android has been moving away from user provided SD storage, both in its Nexus line AND in the vanilla software.

I run CM10 on my GS3, and there's almost no place for my SD card in the software. The 16GB of NAND is plenty for pictures, apps and data; and the only time I've run into space issues is when I forgot to delete old back-ups and ROM files. So, what do you do with your SD storage? Is it full of movies and media? Full of apps?Reply

I like having about 16GB of music around, so unless phones start moving to 32GB minimum I'll keep longing for the slot... There's a ton of usage cases out there, it's always silly to rationalize that because you don't need it others won't.

It's also the principle of the thing, people know 32GB microSD cards are like $20, so when a manufacturer wants to sell a device with an extra 16GB for $50-100 more it just rubs them the wrong way.

I know Google devs have gone on these technical rants about how it makes sense to eliminate removable storage but it seems to work juuust fine on my EVO. /shrugReply

Briefly, I wasn't rationalizing anything, that's why I was asking you what your specific use case merited requiring the storage.

Now, the mark-up has more to do with marketing and margins, they charge far more for the additional storage because pricing things are complex and because they need to ensure that the products move. Price the bigger device to closely, and sales of the lesser one suffer. Price the bigger device too high and it won't move. But there's one other factor, if you price wrong or simply build to much of the larger SKU, you want to make sure that the loyal buyers that seek out that larger SKU are covering the losses from having so many of that SKU linger on shelves.

I believe in Android's devs reasons for wanting to eliminate SD cards, and it actually doesn't apply to your use case much. It applies to the sort of access you see when running apps from the SD card. But yours is an edge case, and the other use cases are also probably on the periphery. So, unless you're a big phone switcher, you should probably expect to buy the larger SKU for your next phone.

You've got data that proves most usage cases for additional storage are fringe cases or are we taking the industry's word for it like we do with bandwith caps? :p I if I assumed your intentions but that's usually where most people are headed with that question.

Apps became kind of a moot point IMO when phones started shipping with enough memory for a ton of apps (around last year), so while the reasons to avoid microSD may be valid they may not apply to most of the cases where people actually want that extra storage.

I think some of the security reasons to avoid removable storage are probably more valid than the technical logistic issues.

At the end of the day it doesn't really matter why they try to milk the consumer with the larger SKU, to the consumer all that matters it's that they're doing it and that it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. :/

There's also a lot of usage cases not to be underestimated, like it being much easier to recover data after an accident from a card than from a phone (pics for instance), though that goes back to the matter of security (and cloud storage and bandwith caps!).

I'm sure the issue sort of solves itself in the long run as it all becomes cheaper, in the short term the enthusiast is screwed tho (and last I checked this site should/would usually stick up for the enthusiast...).

I adapted to sealed batteries without as much of an issue, ended up realizing a USB battery pack was often more convenient than powering down, taking the case off, swapping, and powering back up... The improved battery life of this year's phones also helped. That still didn't mean I liked the option being taken away, and that's the crux of it.

More than anything Android's about user choice and having options, so this flies in the face of that to an extent.Reply

That should've read "I apologize if I assumed your intentions" dunno where the word went, happens sometimes when editing in Swype.

My other big issue with unified storage btw is MTP, it's ideal for unified storage and I like that it can be mounted without disabling stuff on the phone etc... But it's annoying when it comes to actually putting stuff on the phone.

Also, USB OTG goes a long way towards mitigating some of these issues and it's another compromise many would be happy with... Unfortunately HTC's kernels rarely have support for it (Samsung's usually do). This rarely gets mentioned in reviews (even AT's extensive reviews), not sure why, it's such a useful and versatile feature to have.

I don't think every review/article needs to beat this dying horse but it'd be nice to see a simple "no microSD, which is lamentable" if only as a sign that it's something enthusiasts still care about, rather than simply letting manufacturers get away with it, so to speak. You guys beat them over the head for plenty of other things.

It'd be nice if Brian could do a simple check for USB OTG support during reviews, again, if only to show it's something enthusiasts care about.Reply

For me:I like to have all my music with me that's not compressed to a silly level (especially if the phone has a headphone amp (really interested in this for the review)).

I like to be able to have whatever TV show I'm going through at the time on my HTPC so I can watch while out and about with nothing to do.

I also carry around a lot of software and drivers with me (PC Tech) and SD cards are easier than USB sticks.

It's also useful if a friend has some data to throw your way for whatever reason.

The price premium most manufacturers charge for the extra few GB of crappy eMMC is also stupid. Granted it's still quicker than even the quickest SD cards, but for most stuff it's not really much of an issue, certainly not enough to justify the cost IMO.

For other people I can imagine:

Going on holiday and using phone for video and picture taking.

Transfer a few 1080p films across (what's the point in a 1080p screen if you watch crap quality films)....Reply

The biggest concern for any smartphone is the battery life and storage space. Putting a mere 2000mAh battery for 5 incher is a big joke. GN2 has hefty 3100mAh battery, and it is replaceable. You can get a replacement battery dirt cheap, and recharge them separately (you don't have to plug in your phone and stay around it!), which will provide a good 20+ hrs of usage, say for a intercontinental flight.

And why bother to put a full HD display, if your storage cannot house a single full HD movie file at all?Now micro SDXC's are getting cheaper and cheaper. Cloud storage? That's find for tiny documents, but do you really want to use your monthly data capacity downloading a single file?

One X was a very good device, and its display was one of the best in the world already.IMO rather than uselessly pursuing ppi, they should provide micro SD port and replaceable battey. Reply

The biggest concern for any smartphone is the battery life and storage space. Putting a mere 2000mAh battery for 5 incher is a big joke. GN2 has hefty 3100mAh battery, and it is replaceable.

Well since we don't have a good idea on what kind of usage the DNA will get out its battery yet, your complaint about the capacity is just more pointless yapping. The fact that another phone goes longer on a charge is only relevant if the DNA doesn't meet your needs.

Apparently, you need 20 hours of continuous use on your cell phone because you frequently are on intercontinental flights. The DNA is probably not for you. However you do understand that most people have no such requirement?

Also, in regards to storage, I think the sell out of Nexus 4 16GB proves that there are many people that find that amount of storage just fine.

Certainly, the DNA's lack of expanded storage or user replaceable battery will be deal breakers for some, however, for most it won't be a problem. Those users will get by just fine and they will have a phone with the best display currently available for a smart phone.Reply

Yeah, the amount of storage really is a deal broker. I mean, this is a seriously spec'd out phone, and NAND is less than $1/GB - it makes no sense for a phone in this price range. The fact it's got 1080p warrants more storage even further. If you're not going to provide a microSD card slot, there should be a 32GB and 64GB model - 16GB shouldn't even be an option for a phone in this price bracket.Reply

But that's an endemic problem to the industry.The Galaxy Note 2 isn't even going to be available here with 32GB this year - so currently the real-life mark-up is some 200 euros for 16 GB of integrated flash.

I've had 32GB in my Archos 5 THREE BLOODY YEARS AGO! in that form factor.It's ridiculous, that a quad core SoC phone comes with less RAM than an 800MHz OMAP 3440....

Someone should come up with another differentiating factor, as using flash memory is so blatantly artificial, that it's ridiculous.Reply

A couple of years back the bragging rights were all about how tiny your phone was. Now look at the size of these things. It would probably pay to be in the tailoring business so you can design & make custom reinforced pockets to accommodate them. After you've cracked that you can move onto handbags.Reply

I don't know why now there is a trend that screen gets bigger and bigger. In fact, it is not easy to use (use your right thumb to reach up-left corner of screen), not compact enough for carrying in pocket and consumes a lot of battery. Besides, it looks not very elegant, when I saw someone using galaxy note make phone call, I just want to beat them on their face (I don't why)........Reply

so glad you're not around when I make wifi-call on my Nexus 7, don't want to get beat up.I love the look on other people's faces, yes, I'm making calls on my Nexus 7, now hide your iTiny and be ashame of yourself ;)Reply

Beats audio is just an EQ preset and it's not even enabled by default (at least it wasn't on my EVO). It's no big deal, only annoyance is having the beats icon in the notification bar when music vs playing even when Beats is disabled (appears greyed out), but you could strip that out if you're rooted and it bugs ya that much.Reply

I really wish this industry trend of larger and larger screen sizes would stop. Nowadays it seems that if you want the best hardware and screen, you need to have it in a 4.8"++ package. The SGS3 is already pushing it, why continue to go bigger?Reply

I like the large screen now and then, but my 4.3 is fine and 4 would probably be fine too.

I get that some people want the very biggest, the Note 2 really did have me drooling when I get hands-on with it, but for me 4-4.3 is the size I want, but apparently I also only want a mid-range phone!

I hate how Apple have started the ppi race, but I wish other companies would realise that great hardware in a smaller size is the best package for some people.Reply

..because people can use these for more than just phone calls. I for one use it for everything from streaming media (bigger is better for tv) or using my phone to remotely manage stuff (network, pc), try running a remote desktop on a tiny iphone 4 screen of 3.5 inches.

Anandtech, please please please do an analysis on the battery life for the DNA like you did for the Nexus 4. I know a lot of potential buyers are concerned about the battery life of this super high-end device. Especially about how that 1080p screen will affect the battery and GPU. I'm sure we are all curious how it will fare against other high-end phones such as the Optimus G and the Nexus 4. Thanks!!Reply

Time to dispell some of the overblown complaints from online reviewers so far are:

1. "Battery dies quickly." Not the case on mine. I have had a SG2, SG3 and this one holds its own fine unless you are subjecting it to nonstop use all day long. Otherwise its comparable to the competition. I suspect the phone's specs might be forcing self fullfilled prophecies.

2. "1080P display nice but not all that noticable major compared to the latest phones." I find it hilarious when the world was having screengasms over retina and now with this phone's present reviews it's: -Not raelly noticably different from most phones- etc The display is absolutely beautiful.

3. Temper tantrums over the bottom USB cover insert. Really? This is a major issue? Ever try using your fingernail?

4. Phone's too big. Fits in my average sized hand very nicely. It is NOT big.

5. The power and volume rocker are too concealed. really? Which one did you buy? I just tap the top center and the power comes on. The volume rocker is easy -but not too easy- to work even in my pocket. Really, the subtleness of those buttons is very smartly designed yet still quite functional.

Reality: This phone is amazing. It's a polished effort by HTC that most certainly will get them back into the game. The Sense version compliments Android nicely. Neither overpower each other whatsoever. It may not suit Android purists that would complain about anything but otherwise it's touches are useful.Reply

Been thinking about getting this phone. Just wow. And it runs on AT&T's 4G LTE! I work as a graphic designer in New York, and I’ve been looking for a powerful phone I can use as a mobile workstation... this phone is perfect.Reply

I got this phone before moving from Atlanta to San Francisco and it was great! Now I'm on AT&T (and the 4G LTE network) so i went with the Galaxy Note 2. Both phones are great for my graphic design work, especially the Note, for doodling ideas when they hit me.Reply